


All for one and one for all

by Anna_banana



Series: F1 Athletics [4]
Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, French Relay Team, Gen, Slight Pierre/Charles, athletics, bit of a crack fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-16 01:22:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15425916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anna_banana/pseuds/Anna_banana
Summary: The French 4 x 400m relay team should be one of the fastest there is. Instead two teammates are fighting, Charles is always late and Romain keeps making mistakes. Cyril wishes he had stuck to coaching Nico and Carlos and never agreed to this mess.





	All for one and one for all

**Author's Note:**

> Yes I know Charles isn’t French, but Seb doesn’t and people change alliances in athletics all the time anyway. Cyril wasn’t meant to be involved half as much but clearly his constant conversations with the sky team are getting to me. Enjoy :)

Cyril was about to tear out his hair as he tried to sort out the running order for the French relay team. Honestly how difficult can it be? It’s not like it’s a sprint relay it’s only the 4 x 400m. Sighing he goes through everything in his head all over again. So Romain needs the least changeovers possible. Because really who manages to continually mess up baton passes in a long relay? Not only that but he also has to try and keep Esteban and Pierre as far away from each other as humanly possible. Sighing, he puts his pen to the paper and finally jots down a new order.

He wishes with everything he has that he was back coaching Nico and Carlos in the 400m. He should never have agreed to take on the French relay team. Relay coaching is absolutely the worst. The only fights Nico and Carlos ever had were about who has the best hairstyle. But now? With arguments and problems every session the months to the world champs felt impossibly long. Right now all he has is a doomed relay team, the weight of the countries expectation and frankly a lighter pay check than he was expecting.

Normally the team was announced much closer to the champs in case of injuries or a change of team. Instead a leaked press release means he’s stuck with this group for the duration. How Cyril hates the French media right now.

He gets to the track just before their session is due to start and already the fighting has begun. Pierre and Esteban are sitting screaming at each other. Something about a cropped instagram picture? Cyril has no idea anymore. Charles is late as usual for an early morning session and as the only one who can split the other two up the session is inevitably delayed. The only saving grace of the day is that Romain and the reserve member Jean-Eric have jogged away and are just getting on with the session. Cyril massively regrets making it on time by sacrificing his morning coffee.

The European Championships were an absolute disaster. They had won by a mile. Until Romain's lane disqualification was announced that is. After that he finds picking a new team order is much easier at least. Romain goes first so he stays in lane the whole time and has the least baton changes. Esteban goes second with Charles in between him and Pierre to avoid all possible fighting. They're the quickest team on paper besides the U.S.A and yet every one of them wants this team to be over and done with. Cyril debates whether he's too young to retire and whether or not he is able to afford it.

He's not sure that a screaming fit that is just shy of a mental breakdown is the best form of motivation, but the night before the final that's what the team end up getting. Messy and practically jogged changeovers mean the team only just secured a fastest losers spot along with a terrible outside lane. Instead of the usual motivational speech he starts ranting about how none of the other coaches have any respect for them, that Romain is quick but should probably just retire, that Pierre and Esteban are children and for god's sake could Charles just be on time for once. He slams his mouth shut and leaves as soon as the rant is over. He figures the French athletics federation or any sensible athlete would never employ him after this shambles anyway.

When the French athletes jog onto the track it's like they're a brand new team. Messy out of sync dance moves have been swapped out with a series of complicated high fives. Toto Wolff, German head coach raises an eyebrow at him in confusion, thinking back to Germany's eventual win at the European's. Soon all the athletes are out on the track and before long the race begins. Cyril can hardly remember a thing bar screaming at the top of his lungs alongside the crowd. A series of dips across the finish line and the race comes to an end.

Cyril was grinning from ear to ear. Just before he goes over to celebrate with his team he has a glance around him to look at the other coaches. The gobsmacked look on Toto's face causes him to look up at the big screen. A disqualification for America! A changeover past the line means that France are no longer second but first instead, a national record time too. Eventually he notices that Great Britain have moved into second and Germany into third. Without thinking he hugs Toto quickly before rushing over to see his team.

Just before he gets to them he stops to watch all the guys celebrate together. Romain is running around in circles with Charles on his shoulders grinning, Pierre and Esteban are trapped in a hug screaming "Vive la France," like idiots. As he approaches the hilarity stops and they all rush over to have a massive group hug before teaching him their weird series of high fives and fist bumps. He pretends not to notice that the Charles & Pierre section is clearly just an excuse to hold hands.

Cyril supposes he could do it all again if he had to.


End file.
